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Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Bamboo Wash Cloths, Taco Soup, and TV Planning

The new bamboo wash cloths came in via Amazon yesterday. They are very soft. Our wash "rags" have been dwindling for a while. So with Kate at home, I thought I needed to get another pack. I use a lot of them. These came with cute little ribbons and they are indeed very soft. Perfect for drying your face with. I hope they hold up in the washer/dryer and don't shrivel up to a cotton ball. lol I thought about keeping the ribbons and always rolling them up and tying them up and leaving them in a basket as needed. Then I chided myself and said "neh that's too much", lol. If I were home all the time - maybe I could do such, but not in my week!

Before leaving for work yesterday, one of the clothing racks that was holding Katy's clothes fell and there were clothes everywhere on the floor. Lovely. My instinct was to try to fix it but it was time for me to go so I left a mess in the floor. Luckily there are two more racks downstairs. So George brought them up last night after work and Katy organized it again.

I cannot stand a mess. I'm doing what I can to try and keep stuff picked up. It's harder with 3 of us. Everyone pitches in eventually. But it's all good - we get it done - or not. I'm trying to help more during the week with the dishes. George often does that while he cooks. But I'm doing less laundry that requires folding during the week now so I have more time in the evenings. Like blankets or bath mats or single items that are delicate. Only I've converted into doing more kitchen work, lol.

Last night I promised to make soup so I made Taco Soup. My version of taco soup. I was not certain of the spices to use so I looked up "taco seasoning" and how to make it and found it was cumin, paprika, garlic salt, onion salt, and oregano. At least that was one version. I had a whole onion in there and two cloves of garlic so I didn't add that into my spice mix - but it was wonderful, if I do say so myself. I'd been craving it.

Here's how I did it.

1 lb ground turkey

1 medium size sweet onion

2 cloves garlic

1 can of rotel (tomatoes w/ green chili peppers)

1 can of tomato sauce 8 oz can

1 32 oz carton of free range chicken broth.

1 Stella Artois beer

1 can kidney beans

1 can of mixed beans (might have been pintos/white beans)

1 can of corn

Cumin

Chili powder

Oregano

Pepper

Salt

Sugar

Red Pepper flakes

Balsamic Vinegar

Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

Tortilla Chips

Cut an entire medium size onion and sauteed it along with two cloves of garlic.

Added in the ground turkey and cooked til brown. Add a bit a salt and pepper to the meat as you are cooking for flavor. Drain any fat you want to remove. (I left the fat in since there was not much and it would add to the flavor.)

Add in the canned tomatoes and stir til mixed.

Add in the tomato sauce and stir til mixed.

Add in the chicken broth.

Add in the bottle of beer.

Add in the spices to taste - go a bit heavy on the cumin and chili powder. This is what makes it the taco soup flavor! Just a shake or two of red pepper flakes. Don't forget to add about a 1/2 tablespoon of sugar.

Add in dashes of balsamic vinegar - about 1/2 to 3/4 tablespoon is what I used.

Bring all to a boil and stir frequently to mix the spices in good.

Add the beans, liquid and all.

Add the corn, liquid and all.

All these flavors in the liquids help add layers of flavor to the soup.

Bring all to a boil and let simmer until all is heated thoroughly - 5 to 10 minutes. You don't want the beans to cook down and dissipate.

This soup can be made quickly w/o having to stew all day. It tastes like it's been cooking all day when you fix most any kind of soup like this building it up from the sauteed onion, garlic, and chicken broth - adding the four layers of flavor - salt, sweet, sour (vinegar) and heat!

The beans and corn should be added in at the end to keep their texture in tact.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top with a dallop of sour cream. Stick corn chips around the sides.

I was surprised that it turned out so well. I got some compliments! And that is always a good thing.

Well, it's Tuesday night and no plans. I'm not even sure what is for dinner but I think it will include a salad. We have lots of salad items.

Katy is cooking chicken spaghetti Friday but I have to stop and get some more rotel as I used hers for that recipe without thinking. Normally we have plenty of canned tomatoes and I saw the rotel and thought that would really be good in the taco soup. lol

Well, nice to not have a lot of things happening this week. Breathing room. Kate is getting some rest too from her busy-ness of moving packing and going to Texas. So I'm glad of that. IF we can just stay away from all the germs going around.

Supposed to rain a lot today or tonight - I've not looked at forecast this morning. But we have several inches coming I hear.

Sounds like a good reading night tonight.

George says he may let Geek Squad come and set up the TV. I'm thinking something will also have to change with the cable. Anyway we'll get it all figured out.

George found a similar TV stand like the one we picked out yesterday - the black and brown one that looked like a TV stand. It's 63 inches long and 18 inches wide I think. I don't think we are going to find one exactly 60 inches. But maybe it won't make that much difference if it is not a huge chunky piece of furniture. So I think we'll order that one through Best Buy and will most likely pick up both items in the van.

The Best Buy Credit card came in - and so now we can go get the TV and TV stand and then let Geek Squad hook it up. We have to have the credit card to do the 12 month same as cash thing.

Someone yesterday suggested that we hang it on the wall. We discussed this but the way our sofa and chairs are angled in this room we decided to keep the TV in the corner as it's more straight on viewing. If it were on the wall we'd be straining our necks side ways at the one wall that we have. It might work over the fireplace but would make the TV higher than we wanted it due to the mantle being up so high. So we are keeping it in the corner like we are used to.

I would, however, like to have a wall mount for a smaller flat TV in the kitchen! And get some of our counter space back from removing the thick black one on the counter.

Well off to get more coffee and get ready for work and pack my lunch for the day. Taking some taco soup! Having an Isagenix shake for breakfast. I think my tummy is shrinking by just a bit. Not much. But I am not going to being measuring until I do the whole system and get the kit. Seems that the shakes are packed with nutrition so they are filling and then I don't sit all day and crave everything.

4 comments:

My version of Taco Soup (I'm pretty sure my Aunt Claire passed it on from a Southern Living magazine) uses a packet of taco seasoning, a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, and two teaspoons of chili powder. I think I'll make some tonight!

Sorry I didn't get commenting yesterday but have read two days now !! B glad your now on the hunt for your table for the new TV. It's so exciting isn't it not just a new TV but new Table. Pity you didn't see any re enforced glass tables I always think if they are glass they don't seem so ...heavy....if you know what I mean..but having said that I can't say I have ever seen one ...glass that is...anyway I know you and George will get on fine something will turn up pretty quickly.I HAD GOOD NEWS YESTERDAY THE REPLACEMENT CAR FROM MOTABILITY IS ALMOST READY. The garage will deliver it next Wednesday...to think how long I waited...over six month for this car to come and it not being suitable. Now the other garage can get my Peougot to me next Wednesday....I'm so pleased as I'm not sure how much longer my shoulder was going to last, or my hip !!...hope today has gone well and you have a nice relaxing evening xxx

Your soup looks and sounds wonderful! Glad you can finally get your new TV. I know you will love it. My son and SIL hooked mine up as they had experience doing their own. But there are a lot of different wires involved with everything. I'm not techie at all. We had more snow here...Happy Tuesday !

"Daily Reality Blogger"

About Me

Former blogger of My Southern Home, Mellow Pages, and Back Porch Tales blogs. Married to George for 26 years. Human Resources career for 30 years. We are Empty Nesters and still working FT. Just Reality Blogging about our Southern Fried life here in Nashville, TN. Grab some coffee and read a daily detailed glimpse of our Southern Flavored Shenanigans. Disclaimer: The words written here are my own and how I view each day as it happened. What is written here does not represent any company, any other person or entity. Any graphics you see here are my own or given to me by talented others for my own personal non-profit use.